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Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert indicted by federal grand jury

JANFU

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Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert indicted by federal grand jury - The Washington Post

J. Dennis Hastert, the longest serving Republican speaker in the U.S. House, was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury on charges that he violated banking laws in a bid to pay $3.5 million because of “past misconduct” against an unnamed individual from their hometown west of Chicago.

Hastert, 73, who has been a high-paid lobbyist in Washington since his 2007 retirement, schemed to mask more than $950,000 in withdrawals from various accounts that violated federal banking laws that require disclosure of large cash transactions, according to a seven-page indictment delivered by a grand jury in Chicago
If convicted does he keep his pension?
 
Where's the conservatives.
 
Where's the conservatives.

Here is one.

I get the vague idea he was paying hush money to a former student with whom he had an illegal or immoral (or both) sexual encounter or relationship.

I'd hate that to be so, but let the chips fall where they may.

I believe we need a clean sweep of Washington DC corruption from top to bottom.

And I welcome it no matter who might be outed.

We pay these people to be our employees and we should treat them like employees.

Any employee found breaking the law or committing unlawful or immoral acts would be disciplined.

Let it be so in D.C. from now on.
 
Here is one.

I get the vague idea he was paying hush money to a former student with whom he had an illegal or immoral (or both) sexual encounter or relationship.

I'd hate that to be so, but let the chips fall where they may.

I believe we need a clean sweep of Washington DC corruption from top to bottom.

And I welcome it no matter who might be outed.

We pay these people to be our employees and we should treat them like employees.

Any employee found breaking the law or committing unlawful or immoral acts would be disciplined.

Let it be so in D.C. from now on.

Well!!! I appreciate that. Keep that attitude and your definitely part of the solution.
 
Here is one.

I get the vague idea he was paying hush money to a former student with whom he had an illegal or immoral (or both) sexual encounter or relationship.

I'd hate that to be so, but let the chips fall where they may.

Let's find out what the chips are first. Where are you getting this "vague idea"? Links?

From the WaPo article linked in the OP:

Hastert faces a count for making “false, fictitious and fraudulent statements” to federal investigators during an interview last December in which he was questioned about the many cash withdrawals for less than $10,000, just under the amounts that would have triggered disclosure requirements.

According to the indictment, investigators asked Hastert — an almost 21-year veteran of Congress whose lobbying clients include major energy and tobacco firms — whether his withdrawals were prompted “because he did not feel safe with the banking system.”

“Yeah . . . I kept the cash,” the former speaker told the agents, according to the indictment. “That’s what I’m doing.” Former House speaker Dennis Hastert indicted by federal grand jury - The Washington Post

Over five years, Hastert withdrew about $1.7 million in cash from his various bank accounts — at one point in 2014 delivering $100,000 a month to the person in question, the indictment alleged. About half of the cash was withdrawn illegally, prosecutors said.
 
I'm a conservative. While I view all politicians as dirty, I think Hastert was dirtier than most. He became wealthy by using his position in the House to make property he owned more valuable. Then he retired. He is a cretin. What does that have to do with being a conservative?
 
I'm a conservative. While I view all politicians as dirty, I think Hastert was dirtier than most. He became wealthy by using his position in the House to make property he owned more valuable. Then he retired. He is a cretin. What does that have to do with being a conservative?

Hey, acknowledging crime, regardless of the guys party is good!
 
Don't know much about the case to even speculate at this point. If he's guilt then no sympathy for him in the least.
 
I read here often that only Dems are dirty and corrupt.

Both sides are dirty as hell but I do find it funny when conservatives point to the Kennedy's and the Clinton's but think their side's corruption is on a lesser scale.
 
well, he's accountable to the law like anyone else.... but I've always had reservations about those laws, so i'm not going to judge him harshly for those "crimes"... if found guilty of not disclosing and it is found that his money did not go to illegal activities, he should get no more than a 100 dollar fine.... at most.

the whole "war on cash" is rather bothersome ....

making a false statement to investigators is another matter...I have zero problems with him being punished for lying, and the punishment should carry jail time. ....unfortunately, there's a lot of people who support lying to authorities and lying under oath.
 
Don't know much about the case to even speculate at this point. If he's guilt then no sympathy for him in the least.

Nope. But that's my point--let's find out more before speculating.
 
I read here often that only Dems are dirty and corrupt.

Both sides are dirty as hell but I do find it funny when conservatives point to the Kennedy's and the Clinton's but think their side's corruption is on a lesser scale.

There's been a couple conservatives show up to offer their criticisms of Hastert, so credit where credits due, it would go such a LONG way if partisans held their own accountable, just imagine the change that alone would bring to Washington. To the extent that American voters will overlook wrong doing in their own party is evidence that the electorate is as responsible for the corruption in Washington as the politicians so engaged.
 
well, he's accountable to the law like anyone else.... but I've always had reservations about those laws, so i'm not going to judge him harshly for those "crimes"... if found guilty of not disclosing and it is found that his money did not go to illegal activities, he should get no more than a 100 dollar fine.... at most.

the whole "war on cash" is rather bothersome ....

making a false statement to investigators is another matter...I have zero problems with him being punished for lying, and the punishment should carry jail time. ....unfortunately, there's a lot of people who support lying to authorities and lying under oath.

I totally agree with you about the law. But as we're always told, lobby for changing the law, and in the meantime...........................!!
 
There's been a couple conservatives show up to offer their criticisms of Hastert, so credit where credits due

It's early. ;)

As far as corruption in DC goes I remember the Jack Abramoff affair. The guy was dirty as hell, many thought then that there would be a clean-up in DC after he nd many dirty GOP politicians got caught. Was there? Nope, not even a ripple. And I'm not bringing that up because Abramoff was a Republican lobbyist greasing the palms of Republican politicians, because IMO the Dems were more to blame for nothing getting done in cleaning up DC. The Dems didn't raise a stink, they didn't hold the GOP's feet to the fire concerning Abramoff. Why? Because the Dems and their lobbyists are just as dirty.

There's too much money in our politics nowadays. These guys don't get into politics to govern, many get in to get rich. The foxes are watching the hen house, so nothing will get done.
 
It's early. ;)

As far as corruption in DC goes I remember the Jack Abramoff affair. The guy was dirty as hell, many thought then that there would be a clean-up in DC after he nd many dirty GOP politicians got caught. Was there? Nope, not even a ripple. And I'm not bringing that up because Abramoff was a Republican lobbyist greasing the palms of Republican politicians, because IMO the Dems were more to blame for nothing getting done in cleaning up DC. The Dems didn't raise a stink, they didn't hold the GOP's feet to the fire concerning Abramoff. Why? Because the Dems and their lobbyists are just as dirty.

There's too much money in our politics nowadays. These guys don't get into politics to govern, many get in to get rich. The foxes are watching the hen house, so nothing will get done.

I find no disagreement with you there.
 
yup.. he's still accountable ..even to stupid laws.

That's the point. I wonder which candidates, if any, are interested in changing this law!!!
 
It's early. ;)

As far as corruption in DC goes I remember the Jack Abramoff affair. The guy was dirty as hell, many thought then that there would be a clean-up in DC after he nd many dirty GOP politicians got caught. Was there? Nope, not even a ripple. And I'm not bringing that up because Abramoff was a Republican lobbyist greasing the palms of Republican politicians, because IMO the Dems were more to blame for nothing getting done in cleaning up DC. The Dems didn't raise a stink, they didn't hold the GOP's feet to the fire concerning Abramoff. Why? Because the Dems and their lobbyists are just as dirty.

There's too much money in our politics nowadays. These guys don't get into politics to govern, many get in to get rich. The foxes are watching the hen house, so nothing will get done.

And they certainly didnt make a stink when Norman Hsu was financing the clintons with foreign money. Liberals and Conservatives arent defending unethical behavior. The partisans are. Because they care most about winning, not HOW you win.
 
I read here often that only Dems are dirty and corrupt.

Both sides are dirty as hell but I do find it funny when conservatives point to the Kennedy's and the Clinton's but think their side's corruption is on a lesser scale.

wrong. dem's just defend the corruption instead of doing something about it.
 
wrong. dem's just defend the corruption instead of doing something about it.

Yeah, I hear a lot of the "all politicians lie." defense coming from the left lately, usually in defense of the Clinton scandals.

If Hastert is guilty then he should go to jail.
 
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